Publications

2024

1. Article

   

   Beyond words: How visual imagery shapes collaborative sensemaking in entrepreneurial ecosystems

   Bernd Wurth, and Suzanne Mawson

   Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 2024

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   Entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) are complex social systems dependent on connectivity and shared understanding between diverse actors. An often used, albeit oversimplified view, implies that diverse actors connect, collaborate and contribute to the EE in an almost frictionless way. However, this perspective overlooks the need for deeper forms of communication that can shift actors’ perceptions, goals and motivations to trigger meaningful change. Recent research has highlighted the role of conversations, narratives and stories in developing (informal) institutions and shared understandings. What is missing from this discussion, however, are non-verbal forms of communication, which enable interpretation, support meaning-making and help implementation. This paper draws on communicative institutionalism theory and empirical observations from a larger participatory action research project. We discuss how visuals support richer interpretation of ambiguities, different perspectives and collaborative sensemaking. Images act as boundary objects enabling creative associations, revealing assumptions and catalysing explorative dialogue through inherent ambiguity. Representing complex concepts visually facilitates participant engagement over time. The co-creative process of iterative illustration also captures shared meaning as it emerges. Implications highlight visuals’ potential for fostering future-oriented dialogue, reflective practice and embodied institutions fundamental for EEs. From this, we outline suggestions for further research and practice.

   @article{wurmaw24,
     title = {Beyond words: How visual imagery shapes collaborative sensemaking in entrepreneurial ecosystems},
     author = {Wurth, Bernd and Mawson, Suzanne},
     journal = {Journal of Business Venturing Insights},
     volume = {21},
     pages = {e00458},
     year = {2024},
     doi = {10.1016/j.jbvi.2024.e00458},
     google_scholar_id = {2P1L_qKh6hAC},
   }

2. Article

   

   Not seeing the forest for the trees? A systems approach to the entrepreneurial university

   Bernd Wurth, Niall MacKenzie, and Susan Howick

   Small Business Economics, 2024

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   The idea and practice of the entrepreneurial university has emerged in response to growing expectations of universities contributing to economic development and has, in turn, been subject to a growing body of research. However, much of the work is focused on individual activities or institutions, typically overemphasising commercialisation activities and certain types of universities. Furthermore, much of this research is de-contextualised and does not consider the systems in which universities operate. As a result, we have a variety of unit theories of constituent parts of the entrepreneurial university without considering the wider (feedback) effects and implications — in other words: we are, in effect, not seeing the forest for the trees. Drawing on in-depth quantitative and qualitative field work and the literature, we develop a programmatic theory of the entrepreneurial university and the institutionalised entrepreneurial activities. Using causal loop diagrams, we capture the systemness and the interdependencies between universities’ entrepreneurial activities and their dynamic capabilities. The model highlights how universities are part of a larger system and how this influences their external engagement activities. The result is a more holistic understanding of entrepreneurial universities that reconciles existing work and guides future research. We discuss practical implications and policy levers derived from this systemic perspective.

   @article{wurmachow24,
     title = {Not seeing the forest for the trees? A systems approach to the entrepreneurial university},
     author = {Wurth, Bernd and MacKenzie, Niall and Howick, Susan},
     journal = {Small Business Economics},
     volume = {63},
     number = {2},
     pages = {673--696},
     year = {2024},
     doi = {10.1007/s11187-023-00864-1},
     dimensions = {true},
     google_scholar_id = {70eg2SAEIzsC},
   }

3. Chapter

   

   Combining SD & ABM: Frameworks, benefits, challenges, and future research directions

   Susan Howick, Itamar Megiddo, Le Khanh Ngan Nguyen, and 2 more authors

   , Cham, 2024

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   System Dynamics (SD) and Agent-Based modelling (ABM) are two commonly used simulation methods with different characteristics and benefits. When tackling a complex problem, the use of one of these methods may be insufficient and, instead, a combination of the two methods in a hybrid simulation may be required. To support modellers in the development of SD-ABM hybrid simulations, this chapter provides a comprehensive overview of methodological and practical considerations. Frameworks are presented to facilitate the implementation of hybrid SD-ABM models including the development of a conceptual SD-ABM hybrid model. The chapter then presents key benefits associated with SD-ABM hybrid modelling, which include being able to model an appropriate level of complexity, facilitate communication of the model design, enhance confidence building and reduce compute intensity. Two case studies are used to illustrate these benefits. Although there are many benefits, there are also key challenges associated with the development of a SD-ABM hybrid model and these are discussed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of opportunities and areas for future research.

   @inbook{howmegngu24,
     title = {Combining SD & ABM: Frameworks, benefits, challenges, and future research directions},
     booktitle = {Hybrid Modeling and Simulation: Conceptualizations, Methods, and Applications},
     author = {Howick, Susan and Megiddo, Itamar and Nguyen, Le Khanh Ngan and Wurth, Bernd and Kazakov, Rossen},
     editor = {Fakhimi, M. and Mustafee, Navonil},
     publisher = {Springer},
     location = {Cham},
     year = {2024},
     doi = {10.1007/978-3-031-59999-6_9},
     google_scholar_id = {ldfaerwXgEUC},
   }

2023

1. Article

   

   Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Mechanisms

   Bernd Wurth, Erik Stam, and Ben Spigel

   Foundations and Trends in Entrepreneurship, also published as a book (ISBN: 978-1-63828-256-3) , 2023

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   Entrepreneurial ecosystems have developed from a powerful idea and concept into a transdisciplinary research program, increasing our understanding into entrepreneurship-led development and providing actionable knowledge for improving the conditions for entrepreneurship and development. In this monograph we take stock of the progress to date and synthesize the findings of 181 empirical scientific entrepreneurial ecosystem studies through a systematic literature review. We organize the review around five key mechanisms that explain the nature and development of entrepreneurial ecosystems: (1) interdependence of its elements, (2) upward causation explaining entrepreneurial ecosystem outputs and (3) outcomes, (4) downward causation and path dependence, and (5) inter-ecosystem links. We summarize the findings and outline opportunities for research and discuss policy implications in the light of a transdisciplinary entrepreneurial ecosystem research program. This monograph is of interest for scholars of all academic disciplines that provide knowledge that is relevant for the understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystems, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship-led development, but also for all stakeholders involved in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

   @article{wurstaspi23,
     title = {Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Mechanisms},
     author = {Wurth, Bernd and Stam, Erik and Spigel, Ben},
     journal = {Foundations and Trends in Entrepreneurship},
     volume = {19},
     number = {3},
     pages = {224--339},
     year = {2023},
     doi = {10.1561/0300000089},
     google_scholar_id = {35N4QoGY0k4C},
   }

2022

1. Article

   

   Toward an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Research Program

   Bernd Wurth, Erik Stam, and Ben Spigel

   Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 2022

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   Entrepreneurial ecosystems have become a prominent concept, yet in its current state, the concept itself represents a paradox. While it draws on a rich intellectual history and provides an opportunity to synthesize different strands of research, it is also under-theorized and the mechanisms that govern ecosystem evolution are not well understood. This paper takes stock of recent advancements in ecosystem scholarship and synthesizes the empirical reality of the causal mechanisms. We use these dynamics to position ecosystems in a broader context, within and beyond the domain of entrepreneurship research, and propose a transdisciplinary research program for ecosystem research and practice.

   @article{wurstaspi22,
     title = {Toward an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Research Program},
     author = {Wurth, Bernd and Stam, Erik and Spigel, Ben},
     journal = {Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice},
     volume = {46},
     number = {3},
     pages = {729--778},
     year = {2022},
     doi = {10.1177/1042258721998948},
     dimensions = {true},
     google_scholar_id = {J_g5lzvAfSwC},
   }

2. Article

   

   OR for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Problem-Oriented Review and Agenda

   Elias G. Carayannis, Evangelos Grigoroudis, and Bernd Wurth

   European Journal of Operational Research, 2022

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   Innovation-driven entrepreneurship has become a focus for economic development and received increasing attention from policy makers and academics over the last decades. While consensus has been reached that context matters for innovation and entrepreneurship, little evidence and decision support exists for policy makers to effectively shape the environment for growth-oriented companies. We present the entrepreneurial ecosystem concept as a complex systems-based approach to the study of innovation-driven entrepreneurial economies. The concept, in combination with novel data sources, offers new opportunities for research and policy, but also comes with new challenges. The aim of this paper is to take stock of the literature and build bridges for more transdisciplinary research. First, we review emergent trends in ecosystem research and provide a typology of four overarching problems based on current limitations. These problems connect operational research scholars to the context and represent focal points for their contributions. Second, we review the operational research literature and provide an overview of how these problems have been addressed and outline opportunities for future research, both for the specific problems as well as cross-cutting themes. Operational research has been invaluable in supporting decision-makers facing complex problems in several fields. This paper provides a conceptual and methodological agenda to increase its contribution to the study and governance of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

   @article{cargriwur22,
     title = {OR for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Problem-Oriented Review and Agenda},
     author = {Carayannis, Elias G. and Grigoroudis, Evangelos and Wurth, Bernd},
     journal = {European Journal of Operational Research},
     volume = {300},
     number = {3},
     pages = {791--808},
     year = {2022},
     doi = {10.1016/j.ejor.2021.10.030},
     google_scholar_id = {vV6vV6tmYwMC},
   }